The government of Costa Rica has appointed Gustavo Alvarado as the new minister of tourism and the executive president of Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).
Alvarado was sworn in by Costa President Carlos Alvarado Quesada following the resignation of the former Tourism Minister Gustavo Segura on 01DEC.
Alvarado worked as the presidency's deputy minister during the 2011-2014 administration and also served as the director of several departments within the ICT since 2007. He holds a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Costa Rica and another in Political Studies with an emphasis on Latin America from Javeriana University in Colombia. He is also pursuing his PhD in Public Management and Business Sciences at the Central American Institute of Public Administration.
According to reports, Alvarado says he will seek to continue the recovery of Costa Rica's tourism industry by building airline connections with the country's main markets. He will also promote Costa Rica as a safe destination in partnership with the private sector and support bills designed to strengthen the tourism sector.
President Quesada thanked outgoing Tourism Minister Segura for the work that he accomplished for the country and for the benefit of its tourism industry, a source of employment for thousands of Costa Ricans. Segura has been praised for his efforts during the pandemic that allowed the country to position itself as a safe tourist destination.
